The Group of Seven (G7) nations has strongly condemned Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, calling them devastating and dangerous ahead of the winter months. Ukraine has described the latest wave of strikes as “nuclear terrorism,” saying they target facilities critical to the nation’s safety and survival.
In a joint statement, G7 energy ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States said Russia’s actions are causing severe “social, environmental, and economic consequences” for Ukrainian civilians.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko accused Moscow of trying to “plunge Ukraine into darkness” by deliberately hitting power plants, substations, and gas facilities. The recent attacks have killed at least seven people and left parts of the country without electricity, water, or heating.
Kyiv’s foreign ministry said the strikes on substations supplying power to nuclear plants pose a direct threat to global safety. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that three Ukrainian nuclear power plants were forced to reduce output following the attacks, warning that the risk to nuclear safety “remains very real.”
Meanwhile, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — Europe’s largest — continues to rely on external power to maintain cooling systems after repeated damage to its power lines. Fighting around the facility remains a major concern.
Moscow has denied targeting civilians, claiming its strikes are in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure. However, Ukraine and its allies say the continued assaults on energy sites are part of a deliberate campaign to break civilian morale as winter approaches.